In vehicles such as automobiles, there are cases where an in-vehicle device is attached to the ceiling surface of the vehicle interior. An in-vehicle camera or the like is a known example of the in-vehicle device, and is attached to the ceiling surface near the windshield glass so as to capture images forward of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving.
Japanese Patent No. 3148749 discloses a covering structure including a camera, a chassis, and a cover. The chassis is a member having a predetermined length in a vehicle width direction. The chassis supports the camera and is fixed to a vehicle body. The cover is a member formed of a highly shock-resistant material such as polycarbonate. The cover covers the camera and the chassis from below in a state in which a sufficient crash clearance is left between the cover and the camera. Japanese Patent No. 3148749 states that the use of such a cover can improve safety in the event of a crash.
Incidentally, if a rear-view mirror is installed on a vehicle rear side relative to the in-vehicle device such as a camera covered by the cover, there are cases where a passenger accidentally touches the cover with a hand when adjusting the mirror, and a load is thus applied to the cover from the rear side. Moreover, if an article such as a surfboard is carried in the vehicle interior, and the article comes into contact with the cover, a load from below is applied to the cover. If a shock from the vehicle rear side or a vehicle lower side is applied to the cover as described above, the load is transferred from the cover to the camera, and thus the camera needs to be protected.
However, the covering structure in Japanese Patent No. 3148749 merely protects the passenger in the event of a crash by providing the crash clearance and suppresses excessive deformation of the cover in the event of a crash by forming the cover of a highly shock-resistant material, and protection of the camera is not taken into account.
The present invention was made in view of such problems, and it is an object thereof to provide an in-vehicle device covering structure that can protect an in-vehicle device without any load being directly transferred to the in-vehicle device even if a load from the vehicle rear side or the vehicle lower side is applied to a cover.